Newborn jaundice

Answer 1

Definition

Newborn jaundice is a condition marked by high levels of bilirubin in the blood. The increased bilirubin cause the infant's skin and whites of the eyes (sclera) to look yellow.

Alternative Names

Jaundice of the newborn; Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Bilirubin is a yellow pigment that's created in the body during the normal recycling of old red blood cells. The liver processes bilirubin in the blood so that it can be removed from the body in the stool.

Before birth, the placenta -- the organ that nourishes the developing baby -- removes the bilirubin from the infant so that it can be processed by the mother's liver. Immediately after birth, the baby's own liver begins to take over the job, but this can take time. Therefore, bilirubin levels in an infant are normally a little higher after birth.

High levels of bilirubin in the body can cause the skin to look yellow. This is called jaundice. Jaundice is present to some degree in most newborns. Such "physiological jaundice" usually appears between day 2 and 3, peaks between days 2 and 4, and clears by 2 weeks. Physiological jaundice usually causes no problems.

Breast milk jaundice is another common, usually non-harmful form of newborn jaundice. Breast milk may contain a substance that increases reuse of bilirubin in the intestines. Such jaundice appears in some healthy, breastfed babies after day 7 of life, and usually peaks during weeks 2 and 3. It may last at low levels for a month or more.

Breastfeeding jaundice is a type of exaggerated physiological jaundice seen in breastfed babies in the first week, especially in those that are not nursing often enough. Breastfeeding jaundice is different than breast milk jaundice, which occurs later and is caused by the milk itself.

Sometimes jaundice can be a sign of a serious underlying problem. Higher levels of bilirubin can be due to:

• An event or condition that increases the number of red blood cells that needs to be processed
• Anything that interferes with the body's ability to process and remove bilirubin

The following increase the number of red blood cells that need to be processed:

• Abnormal blood cell shapes
  • Congenital spherocytic anemia
  • Elliptocytosis
• Blood type incompatibilities
  • ABO incompatibility (Mother has type O blood, baby does not)
  • Rh incompatibility (Mother is Rh negative, baby is not)
• Cephalohematoma or other birth injury
• Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency
• High levels of red blood cells (polycythemia)
  • More common in small for gestational age babies
  • More common in some twins
• Infection
• Prematurity
• Pyruvate kinase deficiency
• Transfusions

The following interfere with the body's ability to process and remove bilirubin:

• Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
• Biliary atresia
• Certain medications
• Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection
• Congenital herpes
• Congenital hypothyroidism
• Congenital rubella
• Congenital syphilis
• Congenital toxoplasmosis
• Crigler-Najjar syndrome
• Cystic fibrosis
• Gaucher's disease
• Gilbert syndrome
• Hypoxia
• Infections (such as sepsis)
• Lucey-Driscol syndrome
• Neonatal hepatitis
• Niemann-Pick disease
• Prematurity

In otherwise healthy babies born at 35 weeks gestation or greater, those most likely to eventually develop signs of newborn jaundice are those who have:

• A brother or sister who needed phototherapy for jaundice
• A high bilirubin level for their age, even if they are not yet jaundiced
• Been exclusively breastfeed, especially if weight is excessive
• Blood group incompatibility or other known red blood cell disease
• Cephalohematoma or significant bruising
• East Asian ancestry
• Jaundice in the first 24 hours of life

Symptoms

The main symptom is a yellow color of the skin. The yellow color is best seen right after gently pressing a finger onto the skin. The color sometimes begins on the face and then moves down to the chest, belly area, legs, and soles of the feet.

Sometimes, infants with significant jaundice have extreme tiredness and poor feeding.

Signs and tests

All newborns should be examined for jaundice at least every 8 to 12 hours for the first day of life.

Any infant who appears jaundiced in the first 24 hours should have bilirubin levels measured immediately. This can be done with a skin or blood test.

Babies should be assigned a risk for later developing jaundice before they leave the hospital. Babies are classified as low risk, low intermediate risk, high intermediate risk, or high risk. Many hospitals do this by routinely checking total bilirubin levels on all babies at about 24 hours of age.

Further testing varies on the infant's specific situation and test results. For example, the possible cause of the jaundice should be sought for babies who require treatment or whose total bilirubin levels are rising more rapidly than expected.

Tests that will likely be done include:

• Complete blood count
• Coomb's test
• Measurement of levels of specific types of bilirubin
• Reticulocyte count

The level of albumin in the baby's blood may also be checked. Low albumin levels may increase the risk of damage from excessive jaundice.

Treatment

Treatment is usually not necessary. Keep the baby well-hydrated with breast milk or formula. Frequent feedings encourage frequent bowel movements, which helps remove bilirubin through the stools. (Bilirubin is what gives stool a brown color).

Sometimes special blue lights are used on infants whose levels are very high. This is called phototherapy. These lights work by helping to break down bilirubin in the skin. The infant is placed naked under artificial light in a protected isolette to maintain constant temperature. The eyes are protected from the light. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that breastfeeding be continued through phototherapy, if possible.

In the most severe cases of jaundice, an exchange transfusion is required. In this procedure, the baby's blood is replaced with fresh blood. Treating severely jaundiced babies with intravenous immunoglobulin may also be very effective at reducing bilirubin levels.

Expectations (prognosis)

Usually newborn jaundice is not harmful. For most babies, jaundice usually resolves without treatment within 1 to 2 weeks. However, if significant jaundice is untreated, very high levels of bilirubin can damage the brain. For babies who require treatment, the treatment is usually quite effective.

Complications

Rare, but serious, complications from high bilirubin levels include:

• Cerebral palsy
• Deafness
• Kernicterus -- brain damage from very high bilirubin levels

Calling your health care provider

All babies should be seen by a health care provider in the first 5 days of life to check for jaundice.

• Those who spend less than 24 hours in a hospital should be seen by age 72 hours.
• Infants sent home between 24 and 48 hours should be seen again by age 96 hours.
• Infants sent home between 48 and 72 hours should be seen again by age 120 hours.

Jaundice is an emergency if the baby has a fever, has become listless, or is not feeding well. Jaundice may be dangerous in high-risk newborns.

Jaundice is generally NOT dangerous in term, otherwise healthy newborns. Call the infant's health care provider if jaundice is severe (the skin is bright yellow), if jaundice continues to increase after the newborn visit, lasts longer than 2 weeks, or if other symptoms develop. Also call the doctor if the feet, particularly the soles, are yellow.

Prevention

In newborns, some degree of jaundice is normal and probably not preventable. The risk of significant jaundice can often be reduced by feeding babies at least 8 to 12 times a day for the first several days and by carefully identifying infants at highest risk.

All pregnant women should be tested for blood type and unusual antibodies. If the mother is Rh negative, follow-up testing on the infant's cord is recommended. This may also be done if the mother blood type is O+, but it not necessarily required if careful monitoring takes place.

Careful monitoring of all babies during the first 5 days of life can prevent most complications of jaundice. Ideally, this includes:

• Considering a baby's risk for jaundice
• Checking bilirubin level in the first day or so
• Scheduling at least one follow-up visit the first week of life for babies sent home from the hospital in 72 hours

References

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Management of hyperbilirubinemia in the newborn infant 35 or more weeks of gestation. Pediatrics. 2004 Jul;114(1):297-316.

Mercier CE, Barry SE, Paul K, et al. Improving Newborn Preventive Services at the Birth Hospitalization: A Collaborative, Hospital-Based Quality-Improvement Project. Pediatrics. 2007 Sep;120(3):481-488.

Moerschel SK, Cianciaruso LB, Tracy LR. A practical approach to neonatal jaundice. American Family Physician. 2008 May;77(9).

Answer 2

Definition

Newborn jaundice is when a baby has high levels of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a yellow substance that the body creates when it replaces old red blood cells. The liver helps break down the substance so it can be removed from the body in the stool.

High levels of bilirubin makes your baby's skin and whites of the eyes look yellow. This is called jaundice.

Alternative Names

Jaundice of the newborn; Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia; Bili lights - jaundice

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

It is normal for a baby's bilirubin level to be a bit higher after birth.

When the baby is growing in the mother's womb, the placenta removes bilirubin from the baby's body. The placenta is the organ that grows during pregnancy to feed the baby. After birth, the baby's liver starts doing this job. This can take a while.

Most newborns have some yellowing of the skin, or jaundice. This is called "physiological jaundice." It is harmless, and usually is worst when the baby is 2 - 4 days old. It goes away within 2 weeks and doesn't usually cause a problem.

Two types of jaundice may occur in newborns who are breast fed. Both types are usually harmless.

• Breastfeeding jaundice is seen in breastfed babies during the first week of life, especially in babies who do not nurse well or if the mother's milk is slow to come in.
• Breast milk jaundice may appear in some healthy, breastfed babies after day 7 of life. It usually peaks during weeks 2 and 3. It may last at low levels for a month or more. It may be due to how substances in the breast milk affect how bilirubin breaks down in the liver. Breast milk jaundice is different than breastfeeding jaundice.

Severe newborn jaundice may occur if your baby has a condition that increases the number of red blood cells that need to be replaced in the body, such as:

• Abnormal blood cell shapes
• Blood type mismatch between the mother and the baby
• Bleeding underneath the scalp (cephalohematoma) caused by a difficult delivery
• Higher levels of red blood cells, which is more common in small-for-gestational-age babies and some twins
• Infection
• Lack (deficiency) of certain important proteins, called enzymes

Things that make it harder for the baby's body to remove bilirubin may also lead to more severe jaundice, including:

• Certain medications
• Congenital infections, such as rubella, syphilis, and others
• Diseases that affect the liver or biliary tract, such as cystic fibrosis or hepatitis
• Low oxygen level (hypoxia)
• Infections (such as sepsis)
• Many different genetic or inherited disorders

Babies who are born too early (premature) are more likely to develop jaundice than full-term babies.

Symptoms

Jaundice causes a yellow color of the skin. The color sometimes begins on the face and then moves down to the chest, belly area, legs, and soles of the feet.

Sometimes, infants with significant jaundice have extreme tiredness and poor feeding.

Signs and tests

Doctors, nurses, and family members will watch for signs of jaundice at the hospital, and after the newborn goes home.

Any infant who appears jaundiced should have bilirubin levels measured right away. This can be done with a blood test.

Many hospitals check total bilirubin levels on all babies at about 24 hours of age. Hospitals use probes that can estimate the bilirubin level just by touching the skin. High readings need to be confirmed with blood tests.

Tests that will likely be done include:

• Complete blood count
• Coomb's test
• Reticulocyte count

Further testing may be needed for babies who need treatment or whose total bilirubin levels are rising more quickly than expected.

Treatment

Treatment is usually not needed.

When determining treatment, the doctor must consider:

• The baby's bilirubin level
• How fast the level has been rising
• Whether the baby was born early (babies born early are more likely to be treated at lower bilirubin levels)
• How old the baby is now

Your child will need treatment if the bilirubin level is too high or is rising too quickly.

Keep the baby well hydrated with breast milk or formula. Frequent feedings (up to 12 times a day) encourage frequent bowel movements, which help remove bilirubin through the stools. Ask your doctor before giving your newborn extra formula.

Some newborns need to be treated before they leave the hospital. Others may need to go back to the hospital when they are a few days old. Treatment in the hospital usually lasts 1 to 2 days.

Sometimes special blue lights are used on infants whose levels are very high. This is called phototherapy. These lights work by helping to break down bilirubin in the skin.

The infant is placed under artificial light in a warm, enclosed bed to maintain constant temperature. The baby will wear only a diaper and special eye shades to protect the eyes. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that breastfeeding be continued through phototherapy, if possible. Rarely, the baby may have an intravenous (IV) line to deliver fluids.

If the bilirubin level is not too high or is not rising quickly, you can do phototherapy at home with a fiberoptic blanket, which has tiny bright lights in it. You may also use a bed that shines light up from the mattress.

• You must keep the light therapy on your child's skin and feed your child every 2 to 3 hours (10 to 12 times a day).
• A nurse will come to your home to teach you how to use the blanket or bed, and to check on your child.
• The nurse will return daily to check your child's weight, feedings, skin, and bilirubin levels.
• You will be asked to count the number of wet and dirty diapers.

In the most severe cases of jaundice, an exchange transfusion is required. In this procedure, the baby's blood is replaced with fresh blood. Treating severely jaundiced babies with intravenous immunoglobulin may also be very effective at reducing bilirubin levels.

Expectations (prognosis)

Usually newborn jaundice is not harmful. For most babies, jaundice usually gets better without treatment within 1 to 2 weeks.

Very high levels of bilirubin can damage the brain. This is called kernicterus. However, the condition is almost always diagnosed before levels become high enough to cause this damage.

For babies who need treatment, the treatment is usually effective.

Complications

Rare, but serious, complications from high bilirubin levels include:

• Cerebral palsy
• Deafness
• Kernicterus -- brain damage from very high bilirubin levels

Calling your health care provider

All babies should be seen by a health care provider in the first 5 days of life to check for jaundice.

• Those who spend less than 24 hours in a hospital should be seen by age 72 hours.
• Infants sent home between 24 and 48 hours should be seen again by age 96 hours.
• Infants sent home between 48 and 72 hours should be seen again by age 120 hours.

Jaundice is an emergency if the baby has a fever, has become listless, or is not feeding well. Jaundice may be dangerous in high-risk newborns.

Jaundice is generally NOT dangerous in term, otherwise healthy newborns. Call the infant's health care provider if:

• Jaundice is severe (the skin is bright yellow)
• Jaundice continues to increase after the newborn visit, lasts longer than 2 weeks, or other symptoms develop
• The feet, especially the soles, are yellow

Prevention

In newborns, some degree of jaundice is normal and probably not preventable. The risk of significant jaundice can often be reduced by feeding babies at least 8 to 12 times a day for the first several days and by carefully identifying infants at highest risk.

All pregnant women should be tested for blood type and unusual antibodies. If the mother is Rh negative, follow-up testing on the infant's cord is recommended. This may also be done if the mother's blood type is O+, but it is not needed if careful monitoring takes place.

Careful monitoring of all babies during the first 5 days of life can prevent most complications of jaundice. Ideally, this includes:

• Considering a baby's risk for jaundice
• Checking bilirubin level in the first day or so
• Scheduling at least one follow-up visit the first week of life for babies sent home from the hospital in 72 hours

References

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Management of hyperbilirubinemia in the newborn infant 35 or more weeks of gestation. Pediatrics. 2004;114:297-316.

Mercier CE, Barry SE, Paul K, et al. Improving newborn preventive services at the birth hospitalization: a collaborative, hospital-based quality-improvement project. Pediatrics. 2007;120:481-488.

Moerschel SK, Cianciaruso LB, Tracy LR. A practical approach to neonatal jaundice. Am Fam Physician. 2008;77:1255-1262.

Reviewed By

Review Date: 11/13/2011

Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

Answer 3

Are your newborn baby's skin or eyes yellow? Is she extremely tired and doesn't want to eat? Your baby may have jaundice.

Newborn jaundice happens when your baby has high levels of bilirubin in her blood. This yellow pigment is created in the body during the normal recycling of old red blood cells. The liver helps break bilirubin down so it can be removed from the body in the stool. Before a baby is born, the placenta removes the bilirubin from your baby so it can be processed by your liver. Right after birth, the baby's own liver takes over the job, but it can take time. Most babies have some jaundice. It usually appears between the second and third day after birth.

Often babies get a screening test in the first 24 hours of life to predict if they are likely to develop jaundice. Your baby's doctor will also watch for signs of jaundice at the hospital, and during follow-up visits after your baby goes home. If your baby seems to have jaundice, the doctor will test the bilirubin levels in her blood.

So, how do you treat newborn jaundice?

Jaundice usually goes away on its own, so treatment is usually not necessary. If your baby's bilirubin level is too high or rising too quickly, however, she may need treatment.

You'll need to keep the baby well hydrated with breast milk or formula. Feeding up to 12 times a day will encourage frequent bowel movements, which help to remove the bilirubin. If your baby needs treatment in the hospital, she may be placed under special blue lights that help break down bilirubin in the baby's skin. This treatment is called phototherapy. If your baby's bilirubin level isn't rising too quickly, you can also do phototherapy at home with a fiberoptic blanket that contains tiny bright lights.

For most babies, it takes about a week or two for jaundice to go away. Very high levels of bilirubin, however, can damage a baby's brain. The good news is that this condition, called kernicterus, is almost always diagnosed long before bilirubin levels become high enough to cause damage, and phototherapy treatment will usually make it go away.

Reviewed By

Review Date: 10/25/2011

Alan Greene, MD, Author and Practicing Pediatrician; also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.